Even if you don't live in New York State, chances are you hear of Oswego at least once a winter. That's the place that measures lake effect snowfall in feet rather than inches. When we left to journey south in February, Oswego's snowfall for the week (that's 7 days) was already over 8 feet. From that particular storm they ended up with 11-15 feet depending on where you live (and who you talk to). LATE spring is a MUCH better time to visit!
One of the most interesting and perhaps least known tidbit about Oswego is that it is the only place in the US that took refugees during WWII. Roosevelt was VERY reluctant to admit refugees but in 1944 (perhaps due to Eleanor's influence), 982 refugees from 18 countries, most Jewish, boarded a US ship in Italy and came to New York. Fort Ontario in Oswego was chosen for the camp because the barracks were habitable (barely). The refugees lived for two winters (18 months) in these barracks - no insulation, frame structures, tar paper roofs, long two story buildings with only a pot belly stove at either end for heat (coming from warm Naples...). The common language was Italian, but local teachers taught them English and the kids went to Oswego public schools. When the war ended no one knew what to do with them. Roosevelt had died, they had no visas and they had all signed documents saying they would return to Europe except they had nothing to go back to. Congress finally decided to put them on buses, take them to the American consulate on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, get their visas stamped, bring them back to the US and put them on a bus to wherever they wanted to go. Some had relatives in this country. A good many chose California. Only one family elected to stay in Oswego (I wonder if the snow played a part in their decisions...) Anyway the museum in the former office for the camp and is well worth a special trip (just try to make it in and out before the snow starts falling!)
Our next stop - Mexico (still in Oswego County). If you're a baked bean fan, you might recognize Mexico NY as being the home of Grandma Brown's baked beans. Unfortunately they no longer give factory tours but I was able to snap this photo of Grandma (her photo is on the label) and, the rarely seen, Grandpa Brown (note he did NOT need to wear a hairnet).
Also in Mexico is what the sign describes as "Upstate New York's Liberty Bell". It's in the public school and not a bell at all but "La Guerre d'Independence" - a multi-colored woodblock series of murals depicting America's War of Independence. It was made in France and only two exist -the other is in the White House. (You might be interested to note that when we asked the high schools kids "loitering" at the front door where the mural was described on the sign to their left, they had no idea. It turned out to be about 20 feet behind them on the second floor just opposite the library. They were able, however, to tell us where the baked bean factory was. You can draw your own conclusions...)
Our last stop in Oswego County - a little walk in the woods to Salmon Falls. This falls was the "end" for Atlantic salmon that came up river to spawn. It's 110 feet straight up and even a salmon can't jump that high. It was an important fishing ground for the Iroquois Indians who caught and smoked the salmon. (Dams of course now prevent the salmon from spawning here. Instead there's a salmon hatchery down the road...) Although we didn't see any, the brochure says bald eagles winter here (are they nuts?!!! perhaps this is the reason they are/were endangered!) Can you see the rainbow in the middle of the falls?
